Beautiful, awesome skies, make the world seem so vast, so full of might and wonder.
Psalm 19
(A psalm by David for the music leader.)
The Wonders of God and the Goodness of His Law
1The heavens keep telling
the wonders of God,
and the skies declare
what he has done.
2Each day informs
the following day;
each night announces
to the next.
3They don’t speak a word,
and there is never
the sound of a voice.
4Yet their message reaches
all the earth,
and it travels
around the world.
In the heavens a tent
is set up for the sun.
5It rises like a bridegroom
and gets ready like a hero
eager to run a race.
6It travels all the way
across the sky.
Nothing hides from its heat.
7The Law of the LORD is perfect;
it gives us new life.
His teachings last forever,
and they give wisdom
to ordinary people.
8The LORD’s instruction is right;
it makes our hearts glad.
His commands shine brightly,
and they give us light.
9Worshiping the LORD is sacred;
he will always be worshipped.
All of his decisions
are correct and fair.
10They are worth more
than the finest gold
and are sweeter than honey
from a honeycomb.
11By your teachings, Lord,
I am warned;
by obeying them,
I am greatly rewarded.
12None of us know our faults.
Forgive me when I sin
without knowing it.
13Don’t let me do wrong
on purpose, Lord,
or let sin have control
over my life.
Then I will be innocent,
and not guilty
of some terrible fault.
14Let my words and my thoughts
be pleasing to you, LORD,
because you are my mighty rock and my protector.
What a wonderful Psalm of praise to God’s might and majesty.
Just two thoughts:
The Psalm begins with the well-known phrase
The skies declare the wonders of God
There is indeed something about the sky, it lifts our eyes “to the heavens”. But if the skies declare God’s glory, do we? Do we reflect his majesty, his awe? Do people look at our lives and declare the wonders of God – for that is what should happen.
Tom Wright points us to verse 13, and the question of whether God’s loving provision has penetrated every corner of our personality (p 65). Are there flaws that need to be dealt with?
This leads us to the other much used phrase from this Psalm
May my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you
– the words prayed at the beginning of many a sermon. Do we pray them at other times in our lives? Aren’t our whole lives a sermon? Not just those that are preachers, but each one of us in the way we live, speak and love? Are my words and my thoughts pleasing to God?
Lord,
each day
may my life declare your glory,
and my words and thoughts be pleasing to you
This year, I am again following the Big Read using Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone – Mark. I’ll reflect here – if you’re following it too, or even if you’re not, please share with me.
